Mikael was pleased with how things were going with Maeve. They would walk outside in the garden together everyday and she was adjusting to the new routine quickly. Although didn't particularly appreciate the new style of clothing, especially the jeans she was given to wear.
Her grandmother would have turned in her grave simply seeing Maeve's legs on display. It's 'unbecoming of a woman' she would say.
Each day Mikael checked to see if Maeve had taken the gruesome drink left out for her, which was usually unnecessary as he could hear her cries of pain even from downstairs.
He was mightily pleased she hadn't tried to question him about it so he could start planning the next step.
Stage two involved obtaining a sample of hair directly from her mate Elijah, plus more time to make sure stage one was fully complete. Mikael refused to take the risk of it failing. He had killed over less.
Elijah's hair sample was going to be the most challenging part. Maeve was very compliant and trusted him very quickly so he wasn't worried about her. However obtaining his son's hair had to be planned cautiously as Elijah would not be easily deceived.
Finally, his witch Apphia suggested he used one of Klaus' hybrids who had access to the Mikaelson house and wouldn't raise suspicions. Most of them hated Klaus so might be convinced to help Mikael if Apphia helped them break the sire bond.
They could offer a good deal.
The hybrid could be compelled by Mikael so at the next chance Apphia got, she approached one and made an offer.
She was sat in the Mystic Grill listening and keeping a watchful eye out for a hybrid who might be willing to help. It didn't take long as she sat in the corner and overheard a bitter conversation between two young men, Daniel and Tyler.
"We can't keep doing this, he killed your mother Ty," Daniel huffed in annoyance. "We're going to be stuck with him for our whole lives and there's nothing anyone is willing to do about it."
"There's nothing we can do about it," Tyler said bedrudgingly. "If we run he'll kill us, but if we stay we can at least survive for now until we find a way to leave freely."
Apphia moved a little closer to her targets, swaying her hips to get their attention as Tyler argued with him.
"I'm not having this conversation again with you Dan, he would kill us for even discussing this. I'm leaving, talk to me again when you haven't got a death wish."
Tyler stood up and walked out of the Mystic Grill leaving Dan staring at his empty seat. He refused to forget about it and just continue on like he wanted to be sired to Klaus. He didn't, Klaus had forced them all into this. He had never hated anybody as much.
"You wish to remove your sire bond?" Apphia approached Daniel and sat down opposite him strategically.
"Who are you?" He shot back, unsure whether she could be trusted. Tyler was right, Klaus would kill him if he even suspected. Was this a test?
"Apphia," the witch responded quickly before laying the proposal out. "I have someone who needs your help Daniel. In return we will show you how to break your sire-bond with Klaus. I cannot say any more here, if you are interested come with me. Trust me and I'll help you. Don't, and it will be your loss."
She rose from chair and tilted her head at him. "This is your only chance, if you want to be free of Klaus, come with me and we can make an agreement where we can't be overheard."
She didn't want to waste anymore time sat around itching to get her hands on a lock of Elijah's hair. She was fairly certain Dan would follow her even if he didn't trust her. He'd rather take the chance than stay sired to Klaus.
She walked out the entrance and walked slowly to her car. A minute later Daniel came running after her. She smiled, perfect.
"I'll hear you out but I'm not agreeing to anything yet," he decided, not realising it was already too late for that.
Minutes later a deal was in place. Daniel would continue as normal and when he got the chance, he would enter Elijah's room and take a few strands of hair from his pillow. Mikael had compelled him so he was unable to return to them or break the sire bond unless he had the sample and could not tell the Mikaelsons anything if he was caught.
It was a foolproof plan for Mikael. Dan was disposable and Maeve's magic would soon be his.
Once the ritual was complete, Mikael would be in full control. Forever.
***
Daniel's heart raced every time he stepped into the Mikaelson house that week. Tyler noticed and questioned him about it but Daniel gave a non-committal shrug and ignored him.
That morning, he noticed Elijah and Klaus were both downstairs distracted by Elijah's recent illness. He had been unwell for a whole week now and Daniel guessed it was to do with Mikael hiding his mate from him.
He felt sick with fear and sympathy, hating that Mikael had compelled him not to disclose the fact he had her to the Mikaelsons. He felt a bit betrayed by Apphia as she had implied he could make a choice but he had been compelled before he knew all the information.
He definitely would have reconsidered otherwise.
If the Mikaelsons suspected him, he would surely die.
Refusing to think of the danger he was putting himself in by helping hide an Original's mate, Dan knew what he had to do.
Pushing his thoughts aside, he focused his hearing to locate the other hybrids. Most of them were outside so now was his best chance. He felt sick to his stomach and wished he had never agreed to this but the compulsion was too strong.
He had no choice.
Dan crept up the stairs, cringing at every noise his feet made until he reached the door to Elijah's room. Turning the handle he slowly pushed the door open as he tiptoed inside.
He couldn't waste any time looking around. He had to get out as quickly as possible. He plucked some hair off Elijah's pillow and hid it in a vial in his pocket. Swiftly he made his way back through the door closing it behind him, praying that he was stealthy enough not to get caught.
But no such luck.
Elijah stood at the top of the stairs catching him in the very act. Dan froze with his heart in his throat.
This was the end, he knew it.
He would not see another day.
"What are you doing in there? Answer me," Elijah demanded pinning him roughly against the door by his throat. Even while sick, he was incredibly strong.
Daniel clawed at his neck, unable to respond due to Mikael's compulsion. A second later Elijah threw him to the ground.
"Turn out your pockets, what have you taken? What were you doing in there?" He asked getting angrier when he got silence in response.
Elijah was already on edge and had far too many outburst this week under the stress of knowing his mate was helplessly suffering. Daniel had just pushed him over the edge and given him someone to punish.
"I-I-I..." Dan couldn't fight the compulsion.
Turning both his pockets inside out revealed the vial with hair inside.
Dan squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for his rapidly beating heart to be ripped out of his chest cavity. He knew it would be once Elijah made the final decision.
But instead the Original took the vial for inspection and looked at him confused.
"What is this?" He paused, questioning Dan who opened his mouth but no words came out again.
"Niklaus," Elijah called, holding the vial up to the light.
Immediately Klaus vamped up the stairs and stood beside his brother realising Dan had been caught in his room. Passing the vial to him Elijah turned to him, "he's been compelled to collect my hair."
"Compelled? Are you sure?" Klaus examined the vial with a deepening frown. "Only an Original can compel my hybrids..."
He handed the vial back to Elijah.
"What are you doing with this? Where are you taking it?" Klaus compelled.
Dan was still sired to Klaus so felt the sire-bond push him to say something while his compulsion held him back from speaking.
"I can't," he struggled, the compulsion and sire bond fighting each other, both equally as strong. "I have to hand it over."
"To whom? What is it for?" Elijah demanded flatly.
"Follow me?" Dan suggested as an idea filled his mind. He just hoped they would understand what he was trying to communicate. "Please?"
He couldn't tell them but he could give them as much information as his compulsion would let him.
He truly did want to help. What Mikael was doing, hiding Elijah's mate from him, was not right.
And Daniel stood up for her, when no one else could.
He walked down the hallway surprised they didn't refuse his strange request. They followed him closely, Klaus threatening to kill him if he so much as breathed the wrong way. The other hybrids watched and he avoided Tyler's accusing gaze as he led them further down the hallway.
Elijah was quick on his heels, allowing him to continue as he knew this was serious if Dan couldn't answer his sire's questions.
"You'd better have a good explanation for this," Klaus threatened as Dan slowed to a stop. He looked around and his gaze stopped on a painting of the Mikaelson family with their mates.
Walking over to it he then looked back at Elijah. Then back at the painting, then pointed at Elijah, hoping with every fibre of his being that he might understand.
He knew it made no sense and every second the Mikaelsons stared at him angrily, the faster he approached his inevitable death.
"Is this about my mate?" Elijah asked, suddenly understanding what Dan was attempting to convey. "Have you found her? Where is she? Who is she?"
But Dan couldn't provide any answers.
"I want to help you Elijah, please let me take the vial back," he begged. He couldn't even nod to reassure the worried Original that his mate was alive, although in Mikael's hands and in a precarious condition.
Elijah exchanged glances with Klaus before nodding. It was far more important to find the person who knew about his mate and was able to compel hybrids over punishing Dan.
Elijah wanted a way to find his mate and here it was. Klaus understood that, plus he didn't want more compelled hybrids not knowing who was controlling them. If it could override Dan's sire bond, Klaus knew he ought to be worried.
Dan walked around the room to find a family painting with Mikael in this time. There was none.
"You don't have any family paintings," he sighed, shaking his head. He turned back to Elijah and Klaus in dismay.
"Family?" Elijah's eyebrows drew together. "Family paintings? It is another Original then. Brother where are our siblings? Would they hurt my mate for the prophecy?"
Elijah's thoughts spiralled out of control as he began to suspect his siblings of the worst betrayal possible.
"They're not anywhere near Mystic Falls, I know that for certain brother, it can't be them," Klaus considered his words carefully around his volatile brother.
"Your siblings are here, I'm looking for a whole family painting," Dan said hoping to be clearer.
"Whole family... No... surely not Father," Klaus stopped and stared at Dan while Elijah's step faltered. They knew he was capable of compelling hybrids, maybe he had finally found them.
Or worse. Maybe he had Elijah's mate too...
"Track me," Dan interrupted as they hesitated at the thought that their father might be involved. They exchanged another look between them, worried this might be some sort of trick.
"Take my blood and track me." Dan insisted. "I have to give the vial back."
Elijah agreed quickly. They would track Dan and follow far behind, incase it was a trap set by Mikael.
Klaus also called his witch Ianthe to collect some of Daniel's blood for the tracking spell. He then asked him to return immediately once he had handed the vial over so they could question him further.
And so Elijah and Klaus used their witch and followed Dan straight towards their father's home.
"She's changed everything for us already," Klaus remarked on Elijah's mate. "We never run to Mikael. Not for anything."
Elijah remained dangerously silent for a while.
"For my mate, I would do anything. Mikael shall not live another day if he has touched a single hair on her head. I will gut him myself."
Klaus placed a hand on his brother's shoulder revealing two white oak stakes previously hidden under a jacket.
"Take one," he said, offering one up to Elijah with a smirk. "I'm going to thoroughly enjoying this."
Elijah couldn't bring himself to admit he'd rather prioritise saving his mate over killing Mikael.
But Klaus knew that already. He was watching his brother's mate bond affect his choices before even meeting her. He knew it wouldn't be long until Elijah didn't need him at all, abandoning him as the mate bond ran deeper than blood.
Bitter jealousy flared up in Klaus and he considered daggering his brother right then and there but he knew Elijah would never forgive him. Not when his mate was in danger.
Everything had changed now. Everything.
Elijah was ready for anything.
And Klaus felt more lonely than ever.
———
Not sure how much I like this chapter but here is it anyway♥️ x
Was there too much Daniel or do I just miss Maeve already? I'm not sure how I feel about this not being in her POV yet either🤔